Polysilane compounds have been produced heretofore by the reaction of dichlorosilane with metallic sodium. In these processes the silane has two R groups wherein R each represents hydrogen or hydrocarbon group, but not both R's are hydrogen at the same time. However, the method disadvantageously needs two moles of metallic sodium per mole of monomeric silane compound, and the use of metallic sodium in large amounts may not be feasible in the industrial production of polysilane compounds since, for example, sodium is readily combustible. Also, sodium tends to agglomerate during reactions, which can cause agitators to bind. The variability of sodium agglomerate size is difficult to control, causing product quality problems. Moreover, the thus produced polysilane compound tends to contain residual chloride ions which adversely affect the electrochemical properties of the polymer.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 108, 4059 (1986) proposed a method in which a phenylsilane is polymerized in the presence of an organotitanium complex to produce an (RSiH.sub.2).sub.m (RSiH).sub.n compound wherein n is about six and m is 0 or 2.
J. Organometal Chem., 55 (1973), C7-C8, described the heating of a monomeric hydrosilane compound in the presence of an organorhodium complex, (Ph.sub.3 P).sub.3 RhCl, which provides oligomers such as dimers or trimers of the hydrosilane together with a significant amount of disproportionation product. The disproportion product contaminates the desired polysilane compound and can not be readily removed from the polysilane compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,861 describes organocomplexes of nickel, cobalt, ruthenium, palladium and iridium effective as catalysts for the polymerization of a monomeric silane compound to produce higher molecular weight polysilane compound with substantially no by-products of undesired disproportionation products.
There remains a need for improved methods of polymerizing silane and polysilane precursive material to produce polysilane compounds.